Fight for Survival

The hulking Scraper charges forward, his metallic arms swinging with deadly precision. Ryo barely dodges the first blow, feeling the rush of air as the fist passes dangerously close to his head. The ground cracks beneath the impact, and Ryo realizes that if he takes even one direct hit, it's over.

"Move!" Ryo shouts, darting to the side as Hana follows, narrowly avoiding a second swing.

The Scraper's movements are slow, but his sheer power is terrifying. Ryo knows that their only advantage is speed, and they need to use it if they want to survive this fight.

"Split up!" Ryo yells. "We'll confuse him!"

Hana nods, breaking off to the right while Ryo circles left. The hulking Scraper hesitates for a moment, his glowing red eyes darting between them. Ryo takes the opportunity to strike, lunging forward and slamming the blunt end of his branch into the man's side.

The impact barely fazes him. The Scraper turns with a snarl, swinging one of his metallic fists toward Ryo. Ryo manages to roll out of the way, but he can feel the ground tremble beneath him as the punch connects with the arena floor.

Hana, meanwhile, moves with agility, darting behind the Scraper and delivering a swift kick to the back of his knee. The hulking man grunts, stumbling slightly, but he quickly regains his balance, turning with a look of pure fury etched across his face. He swings his massive arm toward Hana, and Ryo's heart leaps into his throat as he sees the blow coming.

"Hana, look out!" Ryo shouts, his voice echoing across the arena.

Hana's eyes widen as the metallic fist hurtles toward her. She jumps back, but the man's reach is long, and the punch grazes her shoulder, sending her sprawling across the ground. Ryo's anger flares as he watches her struggle to get up, clutching her shoulder in pain.

Ryo grits his teeth, feeling the adrenaline surge through him. He can't let this monster hurt her again. He needs to draw the Scraper's attention away from Hana. With a fierce yell, he rushes forward, brandishing the branch like a spear.

"Over here, you bastard!" Ryo shouts, jabbing the branch at the man's face.

The Scraper sneers, raising his arm to block the attack. The branch cracks against the metallic surface of his forearm, but Ryo doesn't stop. He keeps swinging, keeps attacking, forcing the man to focus on him. He knows he's not doing much damage, but he's buying Hana time to recover.

The Scraper roars in frustration, swinging wildly at Ryo. His movements are powerful but clumsy, and Ryo manages to duck and weave, avoiding the crushing blows by inches. He feels the rush of wind as a fist passes close to his head, and he knows he can't keep this up forever.

"Now, Hana!" Ryo yells, hoping she's ready.

Hana, still holding her injured shoulder, pushes herself to her feet. Her face is a mask of determination as she rushes toward the Scraper from behind. With a fierce cry, she slams her torch into the back of his knee again, this time using the full force of her momentum.

The torch flares brightly as it makes contact, the flames licking at the man's metal-clad leg. The Scraper lets out a roar of pain, stumbling forward. Ryo doesn't waste a second. He drives the branch into the back of the man's other knee, using all his strength.

The Scraper's legs buckle, and he crashes to the ground with a deafening thud, the impact sending shockwaves through the arena floor. Ryo and Hana both back away, breathing heavily, watching as the hulking figure struggles to rise, his movements sluggish.

"Finish him," Ryo says, his voice cold. There's no room for mercy here. This is a fight for survival.

Hana nods, her face set in grim determination. She steps forward, raising the torch high, and drives it down onto the Scraper's back, the flames flaring brightly. The man's body convulses, a horrible, inhuman scream tearing from his throat as the fire spreads, consuming the dark metal and searing his flesh.

The crowd around the arena erupts into cheers and shouts, a cacophony of noise that fills the air. Ryo feels a strange mix of triumph and revulsion as he watches the man's body go still, the light fading from his glowing red eyes.

They've won.

Hana staggers back, dropping the torch, her hands shaking. Ryo moves to her side, placing a hand on her uninjured shoulder.

"You okay?" he asks, his voice rough with exhaustion.

Hana nods, though she's clearly shaken. "Yeah. I'm okay."

Ryo glances around the arena. The other Scrapers are watching them with a mix of respect and wariness. They've proven themselves in the first round, but he knows it's far from over. There are still two more rounds to go before they can qualify for the Guardian Trials.

The man with the mechanical arm steps forward, a grin on his face. "Not bad, rookies. You made it through the first round."

Ryo's body aches with fatigue, but he forces himself to stand tall. "What's next?"

The man's grin widens. "You'll find out soon enough. Rest up while you can. Your next opponent will be here shortly."

Ryo and Hana exchange a look, then move to the side of the arena, taking a moment to catch their breath. Ryo's mind is racing, replaying the fight over and over. They got lucky this time. The next round might not be so forgiving.

"Ryo," Hana says quietly, breaking him from his thoughts. "We need a plan."

He nods, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Yeah. We can't just rely on brute force. We need to be smarter."

Hana looks around the arena, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "We need to use our surroundings. The torches helped, but we can't count on that again. Maybe there's something else we can use."

Ryo follows her gaze, scanning the arena. The ground is littered with debris from previous fights — broken weapons, discarded armor, and scattered pieces of rubble. An idea starts to form in his mind.

"We can set a trap," Ryo says slowly, his eyes locking onto a large piece of broken stone near the edge of the arena. "If we can lure our next opponent into a vulnerable position, we can use the rubble to our advantage."

Hana nods, her face brightening with determination. "It's risky, but it might work."

Before they can discuss further, the mechanical-armed man steps back into the arena, his voice booming.

"Round two is about to begin! Fighters, take your positions!"

Ryo's heart races as he and Hana move back to the center of the arena. The crowd falls silent, anticipation hanging thick in the air.

The gate on the far side of the arena creaks open, and their next opponent steps forward. This Scraper is different — smaller, but with a predatory look in their eyes. They move with a fluid, almost serpentine grace, their body adorned with intricate tattoos that seem to pulse with a faint, ominous light.

Ryo swallows hard. This is going to be a whole new level of challenge.

"Remember the plan," he whispers to Hana, his voice steady despite the fear gnawing at his insides.

Hana nods, her eyes never leaving their opponent. "We've got this."

The Scraper in front of them smiles, a cold, cruel smile that sends a shiver down Ryo's spine.

"Let's see if you can survive this one," their opponent says, their voice low and menacing.

The fight begins.